A
typical BC season under Tom O'Brien seems
to have ups and downs. The Eagles do a tremendous
job of beating all the bad teams. Once in
awhile, they pull off a big-game upset.
Mostly, they will lose to the remaining
tough teams. Eventually, BC will go to a
lesser bowl game with under nine wins. As
the Big East conference continues to improve,
the progress of the BC program (like Pittsburgh's)
has visually slowed. But it is there. Note
the Eagles 6-0 non-conference mark in 2002,
including gigantic win at then-undefeated
Notre Dame. Also note the recent bowl wins
over the PAC-TEN and SEC, and last year's
dominant 51-25 win over Toledo.

Critics
will point to the four major hurdles (again)
on this year's schedule - Miami, Virginia
Tech, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame. And again,
speed will be the deciding issue in those
games. But BC must focus on the early part
of the schedule to generate needed confidence,
especially in QB Quinton Porter. Games against
Wake Forest, (at) Penn State, and (at) hugely-improved
Connecticut will spell what type of season
these Eagles will finally have.

Once
the conference play begins, the Eagles will
again fall to the big-three of the Big East.
The Notre Dame game is crucial as to whether
this team wins at least 8 games. We expect
by late October, Porter will have matured
enough to make this tilt winnable. BC will
need to generate a deep-play threat for
the passing game, play disciplined, mistake-free
defense, and, finally, rely on improved
special teams to even find the next step.
Maybe two, but probably not all three, can
occur. For now, another (barely) Top 25
finish and solid bowl season seems more
likely.

Head
Coach Tom O'Brien wasn't sure if Derrick Knight
(5-9, 241) was the right choice as a feature back.
1,432 rushing yards and 12 TDs silenced any critics.
Knight also has excellent hands (37 receptions,
2nd on team.) Running mainly from the I-formation,
Knight is hard-nosed and can slash through the
holes like few bigmen can. He became better and
better at making the first man miss, and his improvement
will only continue. Backing up Knight is Brokaw,
a goal-line specialist with 10 TDs. Brokaw and
Knight form a nice one-two punch. Still in the
mix is senior RB Horace Dodd. Dodd has been often
injured and never fulfilled his potential. But
he is big, fast and probably has the most raw
talent of the three.

TE
Sean Ryan could be the next in line of the great
ones BC has produced. The potential has been shown
only in glimpses. He improved considerably as
a blocker as the season progressed. Considering
the Eagles will have a new starting QB and defenses
will be keying on the ground game, Ryan will improve
by default. Look for BC to throw to him more,
especially early in games, so as to force a LB
to keep on eye on him and push defenses back on
their heels.

Three
out of five starting offensive linemen return
in Chestnut Hill. Look for sophomore Pat Ross
and senior Jeremy Trueblood to step in just fine.
This unit had a surprisingly good 2002, allowing
only 14 sacks as they opened up the running lanes.
Junior guard Chris Snee, senior guard Augie Hoffmann
and senior tackle Leo Bell return to form a physical
and smart front for the Eagle offense, one of
the most experienced in the Big East.

The
biggest question mark for BC next year will be
at quarterback. Gone to play on Sundays is valuable
and durable senior Brian St. Pierre. In to take
his place is junior, Quinton Porter. Porter has
only thrown 15 passes in real-game action. He
is a physical clone of St. Pierre, standing in
at 6'4. Their playing style is very similar as
well - Porter tends to also be very upright in
the pocket with a strong and accurate arm. Porter's
physical talents will have to carry him early
until he can pick up on the complex BC offensive
attack.

It
seems every year's glaring offensive weakness
is the lack of a speed receiver. This year will
be no different. The main reason this offense
never seems to reach that next level is there
is no threat of the deep ball. Next year, with
defenses keying on Derrick Knight, Sean Ryan and
the short passing game, this unit must at least
keep opponents honest. Especially as newcomer
Porter develops confidence with the short throws.
Easier said than done. Juniors Grant Adams and
Joel Hazard are expected to step in. Hazard is
the slightly faster of the two, while Adams is
more experienced. Obviously, Hazard (or another
designated streaker) needs to stretch defenses
early and often.

TB
Derrick Knight

BOSTON
COLLEGE 2003 DEPTH CHARTReturning Starters in bold

OFFENSE

QB

Quinton
Porter-Jr

Paul
Peterson-Jr

FB

Greg
Toal-Sr

Haven
Perkins-Jr

TB

Derrick
Knight-Sr

Horace
Dodd-Sr

WR

Grant
Adams-Jr

Dorien
Bryant-Fr

WR

Joel
Hazard-Jr

Jason
Lilly-So

TE

Sean
Ryan-Sr

Dave
Kashetta-Jr

OT

Leo
Bell-Sr

Jeremy
Trueblood-So

OG

Chris
Snee-Jr

Josh
Beekman-So

C

Pat
Ross-So

Shadu
Moore-So

OG

Augie
Hoffmann-Sr

Anthony
Crosson-Jr

OT

Keith
Leavitt-Sr

James
Marten-So

K

Sandro
Sciortino-Sr

..

2003
DEFENSE

written
by Dave Bagchi

Defensive
coordinator Frank Spaziani sticks to the basics.
The Eagles employ 4-3 formations and stick mainly
to two-deep zones. The signature of a BC defense
is hard-nosed, in-your-face football. Last year,
linebackers like Vinny Ciurciu and Josh Ott exemplified
this toughness. Ciurciu is gone, but the senior
Ott remains. He will be the emotional leader.
Look for Ott to be flanked at linebacker by senior
Brian Flores (returning starter) and sophomore
Ray Henderson. Henderson is a talented, husky
linebacker who's potential says he is a surprise
upgrade for Spaziani in 2003. The Eagles will
have more depth at the LB position with sophomores
Ricky Brown and Jon Misiewicz.

Speed
is not only the issue with the BC receivers, but
with the defense as well. Start with the defensive
line that allowed 167 yards rushing per game.
Look for the youth movement to take place and
an overhaul to be made this off-season by Spaziani
and O'Brien. Coaches are excited about 6'6 sophomore
Mathias Kiwanuka and his five sacks in limited
2002 playing time. Sophomores Jim Unis and Al
Washington should challenge planned senior starters
Tom Martin and junior Phillip Mettling. On a positive
note, with 7 of the 8 two-deep starters returning,
the Eagles will have experience and numerous options
to keep the troops fresh late in games.

Boston
College will suffer with an inexperienced secondary,
painfully losing three of four starters from the
nation's 13th ranked pass defense. Sophomore DB
Will Blackmon is expected to replace departed
Trevor White. Under-sized sophomore starter Larry
Lester will join him at the other corner. Size
has been a recent problem for BC in the defensive
secondary. As the tendency across the nation is
the emergence of bigger and faster receivers,
players like Miami's Andre Johnson, Stanford's
Teyo Johnson and Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald
burned the Eagles. White and Lester, the starting
cornerbacks were 5'8 and 5'7, respectively. Blackmon,
who is 6-0, could finally allow BC to show some
man-to-man packages on defense. His thin frame
is still a concern, so look for the sophomore
to put on 10-15 pounds for a big 2003 campaign.
Senior Paul Cook and junior T.J. Stancil will
be called upon to replace the departed safeties.
Both Cook and Stancil saw limited action in 2002.

CB
Larry Lester

BOSTON
COLLEGE 2003 DEPTH CHARTReturning Starters in bold

DEFENSE

DE

Mathias
Kiwanuka-So

Jake
Ottolini-So

DT

Tim
Bulman-Jr

Douglas
Goodwin-Sr

DT

Tom
Martin-Sr

Al
Washington-So

DE

Phil
Mettling-Jr

Jim
Unis-So

LB

Brian
Flores-Sr

Jon
Mislewicz-So

LB

Ricky
Brown-So

Ray
Henderson-So

LB

Josh
Ott-Sr

Jeff
Burns-So

CB

Will
Blackmon-So

Jazzmen
Williams-So

CB

Larry
Lester-So

Peter
Shean-Jr

SS

Paul
Cook-Sr

Nathanael
Hasselbeck-So

FS

T.J.
Stancil-Jr

Larry
Anam-Fr

P

Rob
Leuffen-Sr

..

2003
SPECIAL TEAMS

BC
will have an overall solid, but not spectacular, special
teams. Inconsistent strong-legged senior Sandro Sciortino
ended 2002 making his last eight kicks. He made 23 overall,
including 7-of-11 outside 40 yards. Nobody questions
his leg-strength, but his accuracy is under scrutiny.
He missed five inside of 40 and had two blocked.

At
punter, most likely senior Rob Leuffen will be a step
up. Typically, lack of overall team speed shows most
in the return (and coverage) game(s). But, sophomore
DB Will Blackmon is expected to be the man. He was one
of the better kick returners in the nation just a year
ago, averaging 22.5 yards per return, with a long of
83 yards.

Second-string RB Brandon Brokaw quit the team,
to focus on academics. His loss will hurt
the group, but not decimate them- it simply
calls for fresh faces. Horace Dodd will get
a good number of carries, despite playing
behind Knight. The third back looks to be
rsf Jeff Ross, who impressed many with his
work this off-season. Freshman Andre Callender
could have a say as well WRs Jason Lilly
and Tony Gonzalez stood out and provided big
play ability for the Eagles. The real deal
will be incoming freshman WR Dorien Bryant.
He is one of the top-rated prospects in the
country and gives the Eagles speed to work
with. He will figure greatly into the passing
game as the season goes on. People are comparing
him to Peter Warrick QBs Karim El Nokali
and Dan Berglund intensely battled for the
backup spot, though their efforts will seem
fruitless once JUCO transfer Paul Peterson
comes in. An All-American last year, Peterson
could even see his way into the starting spot
in the beginning of the season.

The confidence is high about this Eagle
defense, as they aspire to be one of the
top units in the country. They'll have some
work to do, but the goal is attainable...
Backup FS Larry Anam put on a hitting clinic
this spring and gives the Eagles a super
sub at FS. He should see the field quite
often this fall and gives BC good things
to come for the next few years. Speaking
of hits, the Eagles have a star in the making
at MLB in Ricky Brown. He is a nasty hitter
who converted from DB, so he is used to
running in space The Eagles get CB
Peter Shean back from injury, after going
down in the second game last season
DE Jim Unis is a special player. In fact,
O'Brien compared him to former BC great,
Chris Hovan. Nicknamed, "The Animal",
the young sophomore should break out this
year and establish himself as one of the
finer DEs in the East Brockton, MA
product Tyronne Pruitt might get work at
safety this year as a true frosh. He is
an all-around athlete who can give the secondary
a serious boost.

I think we will see Dorien Bryant become
one of the better return men in the conference.
He scored six TDs on returns in high school,
and will team with Blackmon to return kicks,
as well as handling punts. With teams kicking
away from the talented Blackmon, Bryant
should make quite a splash in the return
game Kicker Sandro Sciortino has struggled
with consistency this spring and BC insiders
say that holder, Mike Fassel (son of NY
Giants coach Jim), might take the job away
from him.